Jerusalem in Nahmanides's religious thought: The evolution of the prayer over the ruins of Jerusalem

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Abstract

R. Moses ben Naaman (1194-1270), one of the most prominent rabbinic figures of medieval Spanish Jewry, wrote the majority of his works in Catalonia, and composed only a few isolated pieces after his move to 'Ereá Yisra'el three years before his death. This article examines one of his latest works - the prayer he delivered in Jerusalem on visiting its ruins in 1267. This lament over the city, which extols its majesty during its glory days, also reflects the place the temple occupied in Naamanides's religious thought. This article presents an earlier version of the prayer that was probably written during the heyday of his career in Catalonia. A close analysis of the changes Naamanides made to it after his move to 'Ereá Yisra'el reveals changes in his perception of the temple, perhaps also shedding light on some of the motives behind his decision to move to 'Ereá Yisra'el at the end of his life.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)409-453
Number of pages45
JournalAJS Review
Volume41
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • History
  • Religious studies
  • Literature and Literary Theory

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